Self-ionization of water

Self-ionization of water, also known as autoionization, is a process in which water molecules dissociate into ions. In this process, two water (H₂O) molecules interact, resulting in the formation of a hydroxide ion (OH⁻) and a hydronium ion (H₃O⁺).

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Self-ionization of water by

Codex  0 Created 2026-10-14 Updated 2026-10-18

Two water molecules can exchange a proton, producing hydronium and hydroxide ions:

2 H_{2} O ⇌ H_{3} O^{+} + OH^{-}

. Even pure water therefore supplies ions; extreme dilution eventually invalidates the strong acid assumption that it supplies all the hydronium.

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